Plumbers, Pipefitters & Steamfitters salary in Kingsport, TN
Median pay for plumbers, pipefitters & steamfitters in Kingsport, TN: $52,230/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $36,400 – $86,980 · about 400 employed locally
Below the typical metro median ($59,690) by −$7,460 (-12%).
What it's really worth in Kingsport
With Kingsport's cost of living at 85 (US=100), that $52,230 has the buying power of about $61,456 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $53,644 · median home $246,242 · median rent $1,350/mo.
How Kingsport ranks for this job
On raw pay, Kingsport, TN is 131st of the 187 metros we hold plumbers, pipefitters & steamfitters wages for. Once Kingsport's cost of living is applied, it ranks 83rd.
Pay here goes further than the headline number suggests — Kingsport is one of the places where plumbers, pipefitters & steamfitters gain ground in real terms, because local costs are low relative to what the job pays.
What that salary buys in Kingsport
A median home in Kingsport, TN costs $246,242 — about 4.7× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is more attainable here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $1,350/mo works out at 31% of gross pay — above the conventional 30% affordability ceiling, so renting would stretch this salary.
Where plumbers, pipefitters & steamfitters earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Kingsport.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Kingsport | Rent vs Kingsport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | $101,560 | +94% | 1.7× |
| Kennewick, WA | $97,150 | +86% | 1.3× |
| Minneapolis, MN | $96,200 | +84% | 1.3× |
| Duluth, MN | $88,000 | +68% | 1× |
Same job elsewhere in TN
| Metro | Median pay | vs Kingsport | Rent vs Kingsport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville, TN | $55,630 | +7% | 1.3× |
| Memphis, TN | $54,650 | +5% | 1.1× |
| Chattanooga, TN | $51,120 | −2% | 1.1× |
| Clarksville, TN | $49,840 | −5% | 1× |
Staying in TN keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Other jobs in Kingsport
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 187 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.